Brigade to host top national rescue challenge

17 May 2011

One of the country’s biggest and most prestigious firefighter events is to be hosted by London Fire Brigade on 23 - 24 September 2011. Held at the award winning ExCel Centre in London’s Docklands, the event offers Londoners an opportunity to experience first hand how firefighters in the capital and across the country undertake a range of complex rescues.

Free of charge and open to the general public, it will be an event with a difference, giving the capital’s residents and visitors a unique chance to see their local firefighters putting into practice skills to rescue people from crashed cars, collapsed buildings and icy rivers. London firefighters attended more than 3600 road traffic incidents last year alone*.

The UK Rescue Challenge is the most high profile national event for fire and rescue services in the UK. As part of the challenge, firefighters from across the country compete in various rescue disciplines, showcasing their skills and hi-tech equipment used by today’s firefighters.

Occupying 7,000 square metres across four halls within the ExCel Centre, this year’s UK Rescue Challenge will also feature a community safety village where people can learn how to keep their home safe from fire. Various attention-grabbing demonstrations like water rescues using boats and simulated fires will also be taking place throughout the day.

This year’s competition will focus around four rescue disciplines, including Extrication - cutting out trapped casualties from crashed cars; Trauma - treating casualties at the scene of an accident before medics’ arrival; Line Rescue - rope rescues from tall buildings, cranes or bridges and USAR, Urban Search and Rescue - rescues from collapsed buildings or confined spaces.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Steve Hamm, in charge of firefighter training, said: “By participating in the UK Rescue Challenge, our firefighters get a chance to test new equipment, use innovative rescue procedures and share best practice with other brigades, all of which helps improve the way we rescue casualties at real incidents.”

Steve added: “We are hoping that Londoners will show us their support by turning up at the event and see for themselves what we do to keep them safe.”

The Brigade will be hosting the competition on behalf of UKRO, United Kingdom Rescue Organisation, and will be funded entirely from sponsorship.